Ice and Water
by sparkles princess
Summary: DAY SEVEN: A promise is a promise, and Gray Fullbuster is true to his word. [GRUVIA WEEK 2014]
1. Chapter 1

**i wanna hold your hand**

((day one: ambiguity))

Their enemy's headquarters was dark, and its walls were lined with torches ablaze. They managed to infiltrate the place after several days of recon. The faint orange light the flames emitted was not enough to illuminate their path fully, but they managed to maneuver without a hitch despite the darkness. However, the light was enough for them to discern the old brown shade of the walls which Juvia assumed was once a lively shade of blood red. The halls were long and they seemed unending. Their footsteps resounded throughout the darkness and she found it unnerving. Her cobalt eyes nervously watched her surroundings and her (surprisingly) fully clothed companion couldn't help but notice.

"What's wrong?" His deep, husky voice calmed her slightly. The jet black hair he always kept mussed up was clinging to his damp forehead, and beads of perspiration already emerged on his neck despite the frigid temperature.

For the past who knows how long, Gray has been constantly finding himself looking out for her. On Tenroujima, he was the one who asked for her whereabouts and looked for her. When he carried her on his back, he tried to suppress the stammering of his heart. He had no idea what he was feeling so he brushed it aside and did his best to survive Acnologia's appearance.

During the Games, he found himself extremely annoyed whenever Lyon was there. Again, he hadn't a clue what was wrong with him. All he saw was red. And he actually died for her during the dragons' attack. He wasn't entirely sure if Juvia remembered the events that transpired, but he did. He pushed her out of the way and took the blow for her. In the end, he wound up sprawled on the ground, in the crimson liquid that gushed from the gaping cavities the projectiles left, the very liquid that kept him alive. Juvia hovered above him, tears in her eyes, and she begged him to stay. She looked so sad and desperate, but at least, she wasn't dead. That's what he remembered thinking.

She's nakama, that's why, he would always reason out. But he knew, everyone with eyes knew, that he cared for her deeply. Perhaps it wasn't friendship. Perhaps it was something... bigger. He found it pathetic how he even had to lie to himself.

Juvia pondered the question. _What was wrong?_ she wondered. Obviously, there wasn't anything bad lurking in the shadows, because it hadn't already pounced on them. But then again, she couldn't have been certain about that. She couldn't quite place it. There was something off about everything. But she didn't want to make him worry.

"It's nothing, Gray-sama," she assured him. Her voice was quiet, as if she was afraid of attracting attention. Even so, a faint echo of her words managed to reach him as they bounced on the walls. They continued to walk in the semi-darkness in absolute silence (except for their own breathing, not a sound was heard). She was still nervous, he could tell.

Juvia felt as if the walls themselves were alive, watching, anticipating their next move. It terrified her.

In one swift motion, he grabbed her hand. He prayed to all things holy that it was too dark to notice the blush that spread across his cheeks.

"G-Gray-s-sama..." She stuttered in a high-pitched voice. She felt her face flush. Why was Gray holding her hand? It's not like she was complaining, but it was very out of character for Gray to... to hold make any physical contact, much less initiate it.

"Shhh..." He said. "Don't be too loud. They might hear us," he whispered. ("And besides, you're scared. It's the least I can do," he mumbled unintelligibly.)

He was trying to soothe her, she realized, ease her worries. Despite the serious situation, she smiled. Maybe they would make it out alive.

And so they went forth, with only their intertwined hands to give them hope.

**/fin/**

an: this was originally set in the tartaros arc, but idk, i moved it to a super dangerous mission instead.


	2. Chapter 2

**you scared me**

((day two: nervous))

_Beep_

His eyes had dark circles underneath, and his hair was disheveled more than usual. He was wearing the same shirt from four days ago, but he didn't care.

_Beep_

He was drifting between consciousness and sleep, and the latter seemed to winning. He hadn't eaten for days, and people were worrying. Mira would often drop by and leave him a tray of food. He would never eat it of course, regardless of how delicious they looked. He was too worried to consume anything.

_Beep_

He looked like an absolute mess. Heck, he was a mess. Emotionally distraught and physically drained. He probably smelled funny too. But that didn't matter.

_Beep_

For the last four days, all he has been doing was wait. He's been waiting for her to regain consciousness. He gazed at her frail frame and let out a sigh that was a mix between exhaustion and frustration. He knew fully well though, that his frustration was not directed at her, but to himself.

_Beep_

He remembered clearly what had occurred, no matter how much he tried to brush it aside and tend to the bluenette.

He remembered how Juvia took a blow for him. How she fell instantaneously. He remembered the fear that engulfed his very being. _The fear of never seeing her again. The fear of losing her._

Then a sudden unabashed pulse of pure raged coursed through his veins. The look of unadulterated terror on the man's face as he struck him with his bare hands was pathetic.

But if it hadn't been for him and his incompetence, none of this would've happened.

She wouldn't have lost so much blood, wouldn't have lost consciousness.

_Beep_

His guild mates were surprised when he came bursting through the doors, shouting for Wendy, for anyone who could help Juvia. They immediately rushed to him, shooting him with questions.

"What happened?" The person's voice had nothing but concern in it, but at that moment, it sounded like disappointment. _How could you let this happen._

"Who did this to her?" _I did_, he kept thinking. _It was my fault. Please, just help her. Please._

"How long has she been unconscious?" He mentally stabbed himself at every question they shot at him, hoping the wounds he was inflicting in his head would kill him or something. He just wanted them to help.

He didn't have time for their inquiries so he began to look for Wendy. He found her and the concern in her face was evident. Her worry lines were beginning to show, he noticed.

"Gray-san, let's take Juvia-san to the infirmary," she said. (For such a young person, she was quite aware of what to do.)

And so they did.

_Beep_

Since then, he hasn't left.

It's been four days. Four days of absolute torture for the ice-mage. He vaguely recalled what enchantments Wendy used, but after, she and Polyursica hooked her up to a bunch of machines.

_Beep_

He was mad. He was mad at Juvia for being so reckless. At the bastard who attacked her. At the client who requested for a water mage, but knew fully well that the bandit was a lightning wizard.

But mostly, he was mad at himself. He hated how he wasn't able to protect Juvia. She was nakama and it was his duty to help her out, to save her. He was a failure.

_Beep_

He heard something move. Something shifted.

And then a weak groan.

He opened his half-lidded eyes and stole a nervous glance. He saw her blue orbs for the first time in days. He breathed a sigh of relief and, on pure instinct, he held her. His face was in the space between her shoulder and neck, his arms around her waist.

She gasped in surprise and patted his soft locks, her fingers lingering.

"What's wrong, Gray-sama?" Her voice was rough from not being able to use it for a long stretch of time, but it was still her. He lifted his head, and looked right into her eyes.

"I'm glad you're okay," he started, already detaching himself from her. A small smile graced her pristine features as she felt the loss of heat. "But don't ever do that again."

"But Gray-sama, Juvia was only looking out for you. She just wanted to make sure you were safe." She reasoned. He frowned at her. He would have none of it. He wouldn't tolerate anyone risking their lives for him again. Not now, not ever.

"But do you have any idea what you put us through? Put me through?" His tone was strong, but not harsh. "Juvia, you were out for *four* days. Four days. W-we were worried sick. I was worried sick. You scared me. You scared all of us."

His breathing was uneven and he was no longer holding Juvia. Instead, he had placed his hand in hers. His hands were cold, she noted, but that didn't stop the heat that spread through her skin, her veins, her very being. Like wildfire.

"You were out for four days because you took that god damned blow for me. What did you think you could gain from that little stunt of yours, huh?" He looked at her with a quirked brow, he was expecting a response.

"Gray-sama, you were in danger. Juvia had to do something." Her response was simple, her intentions were pure. And that's what irritated Gray. He wouldn't be able to stand it if someone got seriously injured for his sake. Somebody already died to protect him, he didn't need another death on him. He was scared. Nervous. He would have to mourn another lost life because of him.

Why did people even consider him worth dying for? He was no hero, he was no champion. He was ruggedly handsome, sure. And strong, way stronger than Flame Breath, but he just didn't get why anyone would risk their lives for him. He was just Gray Fullbuster.

"Juvia, you don't get it." His voice was quiet, and he couldn't look her in the eye. "I-I don't want to lose anybody again. So, don't ever, _ever_ do that again." By now, he raised his voice once more, but she was not frightened. His tone may have been powerful, but it was far from intimidating.

Juvia was about to say something when a thought crossed her mind. Instead, she let Gray ramble on about no one should risk their lives for others.

It was in those fleeting moments of her semi-consciousness that she finally understood his feelings for her. Despite his reprimands, despite him scolding her for making him worry, she let out a soft chuckle. The man snapped out of his little fit, and gave her a half-hearted glare. "What's so damn funny?" He tried adding intimidation into his voice, but the concern was overpowering.

"It's nothing," she assured. Her hand firmly squeezed his, and he noted that he hadn't let go yet. Not like he was planning to. He blushed at his thought, and looked away to hide the light pink shade of his cheeks.

"Go back to bed already."

She understood his feelings, it was only a matter of time before he did.

**/fin/**


	3. Chapter 3

**bets and cat shirts (**_**au**_**)**

((day three: change))

Gray Fullbuster was in shock.

He lost a bet to his cru - erm, friend. He bet on the Hufflepuff team winning, while Juvia said that her house, Slytherin, would "kick their arses". And she was actually right.

"Gray-sama! Juvia wins! Now you have to do everything I say for the entire week!" She all but screamed. Delightedly, she latched onto his arm, and with all the discipline his six years in Hogwarts had taught him, he averted his gaze from her breast (which were pressed onto his limb). The blood rushed to his face, causing him to have a noticeable beet red blush. He secretly thanked Mavis that it didn't rush south.

"Okay," he sighed, accepting his defeat as he walked her back to her house. "Whaddya want me to do first?" He asked.

"Well," she contemplated. Her fingers laced with his unexpectedly, and she dragged him to an empty room. She began loosening her robe from the stifling heat in the chambers, however, Gray misinterpreted it.

"J-Juvia! D-don't take your c-clothes off!" He screamed, waving his arms around in dismay. The blue-haired girl blanched and stiffened. Carefully, she explained that she was only going to take her robe off because of the heat.

"And besides, Gray-sama," she added. "You're one to talk." She teased, pointing to his unclothed torso.

The man reddened and immediately put his top back on. "So," he started, "What did'ya have in mind?"

"Hmm." She put a finger on her chin, to show that she was thinking. "Well, um, close your eyes, Gray-sama," she said. He did as he was told and Juvia cast a spell.

"Open," she breathed into the shell of his ear. Her hot breath tickled his skin and a rush of heat spread across his body. Hesitantly, his eyes opened. He was greeted by Juvia's big blue eyes and porcelain skin. He let in a strangled breath. Suddenly, her face cracked into a smile. She giggled.

"There," she stated, holding out a looking glass. He checked his reflection. He wasn't expecting what he saw.

"What am I wearing?!" He screamed, prompting the girl into a fit of giggles.

After wiping the tears from her eyes, she said, "Gray-sama has to wear that shirt and come pick me up from my table. But since it's _extremely_ embarrassing for such a '_manly man' _like you to be caught wearing that, Juvia will reduce your time to, hmmm, two days!"

Gray looked down at his, um, rather floral attire. A pink, glittery cat surrounded by flowers. It said, "Come and get me," on the bottom. The man sighed and muttered something about getting back at her.

"Well, c'mon then," he said as they exited the room and went to their respective houses.

At dinner, Gray was expecting a teasing Natsu, a giggling Lucy and an Erza yelling like a banshee. Before they could begin their taunts though, Gray said, "It's for a bet."

"Yeah r - "

"With whom?" Mira cut in.

"Juvia," Gray replied.

The silver-haired demon smiled knowingly and continued to eat her meal.

"You could've asked for something else, she would've complied," Erza told him as he stood by the window after escorting Juvia to the house

"Nah. I didn't want to upset her," he said, remembering clearly just how happy she looked.

Erza let out a chuckle and patted his shoulder. _He sure is changing_, she thought as she walked away.

an: yeah well. Hp crossover (I know someone already did this it's called _magic love _go ahead and read it :) )))


	4. Chapter 4

**the storm and the rainbow**

((day four: first))

There was something going on, the blue-eyed barmaid thought. Something big. She scanned her surroundings, from the bar she was wiping down, to the little table the Exceeds occupied, then the booth Natsu and Lucy shared. Her eyes traveled to the window, and, she noted, that the drizzle from hours ago now was a heavy thunderstorm. But the rain felt... unnatural.

Then a thought occurred. Frantically, she searched for Juvia.

She wasn't there.

Her Plan B, Gray. Wherever he was, the Water Mage was bound to be there as well.

She was wrong.

She left the bar and with quick, decided strides, she was in front of the ink-haired mage in a few seconds.

"Sup, Mira?" Gray greeted nonchalantly. His messy locks were as usual, in their disheveled state, his eyes trained solely on the take-over mage's.

For a moment, Mira was taken aback by his coolness. Hadn't he noticed that somebody was missing? And not just anybody, but Juvia? The Ice Mage sure was _dense_ to put it subtly. Then her shock was replaced with fury. Mavis, he was so stupid!

"Juvia," she breathed. Her quick strides had knocked the wind out of her, apparently.

"What was that?" Gray asked. Mira internally screamed. He was so... _ugh_. So stupid, so dense, her mind supplied. How was it even possible?

"I said Juvia. Where is she?" She was getting more and more annoyed by Gray. Noticing their little exchange and Mira's irritation, Erza walked up to them, her scarlet hair swaying with her every step.

"What's the matter?" She spoke in a tone that was full of concern. Mira faced her to speak, but Gray beat her to it.

"She's looking for Juvia," he said. The two ladies might've imagined it, but they were fairly certain he blushed.

"Hmm, I don't recall seeing her leave the dorms, so this is highly unusual for her," Erza said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Maybe she's still there. Wait. The rain... could it be?"

"That's what I thought too," Mira said. They had carried on their own little conversation, completely forgetting about the Ice Mage.

"What does this have to do with me?" Gray asked, his patience running thin.

"Go check on her," Erza ordered. She was genuinely concerned for her friend, but she shipped them so hard, she just couldn't let such a great opportunity pass her by. Juvia would thank her later.

Gray was just about to protest when Erza shot him the most intimidating, most menacing glare she could muster. The Ice Mage then turned to Mira. She was wearing her usual sweet smile, but a heavy, oppressing aura hovered above her. One that implied absolute authority.

"_Now_," Erza barked.

.

.

.

"Stupid Erza," Gray grumbled, kicking stones he happened to pass by. "Stupid Mira." He was actually quite pissed. Before Mira and Erza had instructed him to go to Juvia, he was eating a delicious serving of caramade franks. "Stupid life."

The rain soaked him thoroughly, so much so that his denim pants were sure to leave angry blisters on his thighs (from the friction). He sighed. He noticed that people looked at him funny. Was there something on my face? He looked down. His shirt was missing. Great. Just _fucking_ great. Why did he even have to go to Juvia's?

Now that he thought about it, Juvia was acting strangely these past few days. Around the time she came back from a mission. The one time he spotted her at the guild during the past week, she completely ignored him! He really missed her. _Wait what!_ his brain protested. That didn't stop him, though, from thinking of her awesome bentos, or her pretty eyes, or her pink lips. Mavis, he needed her.

Okay. What the hell was wrong with him? Why was he thinking of Juvia like that?

His thoughts were cut short, however, when he noticed that the stark white building in front of him was Fairy Hills. Realizing that he probably wouldn't be let in if he knocked, he checked if the main door was locked.

It wasn't.

He pushed the door further open, and tiptoed in. He took a random turn, and bumped into Wendy.

"Gray-san," she gasped. "W-what are you doing here?" Her eyes bulged at his state of undress and he managed a flustered apology.

"I was looking for Juvia," he said. "Could you tell me where her room is?"

"Her roo-" Before she could continue, however, Charles cut her off. "Don't talk to such indecently dressed people, Wendy. And besides, men aren't allowed here." Honestly, Charles was a member of Fairy Tail, but she sure didn't act like it sometimes. Their guild was about friendship and helping people out. She wasn't exactly being helpful today.

"C'mon, Charles," Wendy whined. "He's nakama too, you know."

The white Exceed considered this for a moment, and for a second, he thought he saw Charles smile. "Fine." She said finally.

"Juvia-san's door is over there," she said, motioning to her right. "It's the door with the butterflies. It shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Thanks, Wendy," he said, flashing her a toothy grin. The younger mage returned it and muttered a shy, "Anytime, Gray-san," before walking to the entrance.

Gray set off to locate Juvia's door and immediately, he found it. He knocked and waited a while for a response.

It didn't come.

He tried again, but this time, a bit stronger. Still, no one answered. He tried to open it, but it was locked.

"Juvia?" He called out. "It's me, Gray." This time, he heard a small squeak, and a few more noises. The door then opened, but it was too small. He saw an eye peek through the space. The space grew bigger, revealing a Water Mage's tear-streaked face, and puffy eyes.

"G-gra-ay-sa-sama," she said in between hiccups. Slowly, she moved toward him and pressed her forehead onto his chest, her hands placed on either side of his torso (she would've grabbed his shirt had he still been wearing it). He was taken aback and wore a shocked expression. It softened however, and he gently (awkwardly) ran his fingers in her tangled locks in an effort to soothe her.

"What's wrong, Juvia?" He asked. He noticed that he was now in the sitting area of her dorm. It had a few stuff in it. A bunch of picture frames, a coffee table, a couch. The usual.

She sobbed harder and Gray panicked. "W-what's the matter?"

"J-juvia... is," she sobbed. "She is-s s-such a-a _f-failu-ure_."

For the second time that day, his eyes widened. "Why? What is it?" He asked. "You can tell me anything." He found that he was holding her now, rather tightly. She pushed herself slightly away from him, leaving about an inch of space between them.

She sniffled, and then began her tale after much coaxing from the ice mage. "A-a few days ago, J-juvia went on a m-mission. S-she had t-to find a necklace that s-someone threw in-into the ocean." She took a deep breath to stabilize her breathing, Gray was running his hand up and down her back, trying to soothe her. "W-well, the mission was fairly simple, b-but... but when J-juvia came back t-to the client, she s-saw that h-he... he was a-abusing h-his wife. He was hurting her, Gray-sama. J-juvia s-stood in the doorway, too scared t-to move. T-then the man n-noticed Juvia and... and," Her voice was beyond a whisper now, despite their proximity, Gray struggled to hear anything. "She couldn't even stop the man from hurting his wife. Juvia is so... useless. And then, after seeing me, he... he had... his goons... they... they hurt me. So much." She sobbed even harder and a flash of light followed by a clap of thunder resounded in the distance.

Gray lay his shoulders on Juvia, and pushed her gently away. "They did what?" He asked. He was furious. How dare they hurt his Juv- nakama!

The woman repeated her statement and she began to cry again. "Juvia understands if you hate her now. She wasn't able to help anyone and she wasn't even able to protect herself. Juvia is weak trash."

Gray brought her back to his body, leaving no space between them. She rested his head on the juncture between her neck and shoulder. "Don't ever say that again, Juvia. I'll never hate you. I'll find the bastards that did this to you, and I swear I'll beat the living hell out of them."

She cried some more and muttered thank you's into his shoulder.

Gray broke the hug, and something in him just... burst.

He didn't know what pushed him to do it, his instinct, his mind, his heart, but the next thing he knew, his lips were on hers. It was pure bliss.

He loved the way her lips tasted like vanilla. Soft too. The way her eyes bulged in shock, then softened as he deepened the kiss. Why hadn't he done that sooner?

He pulled away, realizing what he had done. He muttered an apology and promptly left. He broke into a run as he exited the compound.

Her horrendous rain had come to an abrupt end, but his hurricane of emotions - confusion, affection and disbelief - had only just begun.

.

.

.

Juvia Lockser was beyond shocked. Gray had kissed her. On the lips. On his own accord. And then he left her standing there. Her mind quickly drew up questions. Does Gray-sama like me back? Why did he leave? Will this finally bring a change to our relationship?

.

.

.

He was beyond confused. His head was spinning, his thoughts were in a jumble. He noticed that it was already past seven, and that he had been walking around aimlessly for a good three hours.

_He kissed her._

He actually kissed Juvia Lockser. He planted his lips on hers willingly, consciously. _He_ kissed _her_. Not the other way around. He kissed his number one fan, his stalker. The woman who made a Gray-sama plushie, who made him a pillow of her (he kept it hidden in his room).

"Why did you do that?" he questioned himself, earning odd looks from other people. "You're such a fucking idiot!" He practically tore his hair out.

To be honest, he didn't quite understand why he was acting like that, all mad and frustrated. Juvia's lips were _so_ _damn soft_, and he would've been lying if he said that he hadn't enjoyed it. He sure as hell didn't regret his actions. He supposed that the reason for his odd reaction was his shock. He hadn't imagined that he would actually make the first move. After all, it was Juvia who was chasing after him.

Another factor was that he himself was uncertain of his feelings for her. It was apparent that it was more that just friendship that he felt. Was he reciprocating her feelings? If so, what did it mean for their relationship? Was he ready to start something with her?

He wandered the streets in desperate search for answers.

Meanwhile, Juvia was freaking out. She jumped up and down her room, the rain long gone, her previous sadness forgotten. In a fleeting moment of calmness, Juvia noted that Gray always managed to make the rain go away.

She lay on her bed (she was far too tired to jump any more), her hair spread on her sheets. She giggled in joy and tried to go to sleep.

.

.

.

The following day, Gray arrived at the guild rather early. He saw that only a handful of other people were there and decided to walk over to the bar. Mira was wiping a glass and she immediately greeted him as he sat on a stool.

"Gray! How did it go with you and Juvia?" She inquired, a smile on her face. He wondered vaguely how the Mira he grew up with became so kind-hearted and soft-spoken.

"I-I don't exactly want to talk about it," he responded, trying to stop the conversation.

Mira dropped the subject and continued her work. He was certain that she was upset because he didn't share what had happened.

A couple minutes later, a large group of people entered. Among them was Natsu and Happy, and Cana. But no Juvia. He sighed.

She did arrive though, but about an hour later. She sat near the corner and politely asked for a glass of juice.

He definitely couldn't do it. He was far too nervous.

But by some miracle, he found himself walking to her, and tapping her on the shoulder. "Mind if I sit?" He asked, motioning to the vacant seat across hers. The ink-haired mage hoped that his expression, his voice hadn't given away his apprehension.

"O-of course Gray-sama can sit!" She squeaked.

"Listen, Juvia," he said as he settled down. "I-I'm sorry about last night. I know I shouldn't ha-"

"It's okay, Gray-sama. To be honest, Juvia... Juvia liked it a lot." Her cheeks were red enough to rival Erza's hair.

"W-well. That's not all I came to tell you, but can we talk about it outside?"

Promptly, the water mage nodded and stood up. Gray led them a bit farther away from the guild than she expected: a small pond.

"S-so, um," his cheeks were pink, and he was scratching the back of his head (the way you would when nervous). "I did some thinking. A lot actually. And... well. There's no other way to put this, I guess but... I really like you. Really. And it would mean a lot to me if we... maybe went somewhere together? Just you and me?"

Gray was half expecting her to have a fangirl spaz and freak out on the spot, but Juvia kept her calm. She put on the brightest smile, one that radiated happiness, and said yes.

"Actually, we can go now," Gray suggested. "I know a great place for us to go."

"J-juvia is not ready! She looks like a mess!" She whined. She was pouting and Gray couldn't help but find it adorable.

"Pffft. You look perfect." He smiled. He meant it, he really did. He loved how sparkly her eyes were, the blush on her cheeks, her pink lips. Everything. Everything about her was perfect.

But she didn't quite agree. "Juvia is flattered, Gray-sama. But can she at least go home to change clothes?" She pleaded. He found it pointless to argue, so he nodded in approval.

"But I'll bring you there," he added as he began to walk. He raised an eyebrow at her when he noticed that she wasn't following him.

"Aah... Sorry. Juvia was just a bit shocked," she explained upon catching up to him.

Minutes later, Juvia left Gray at the front door and excused herself so that she could go and change into something... cuter.

After a while, she came back and Gray's jaw fell. She was...

_Stunning._

_Amazing._

_Drop-dead gorgeous._

"You look nice." He complemented. He could've thought of a stream of adjectives to describe how perfect she was and all he said was "_nice_". Way to go, Fullbuster.

"Thanks, Gray-sama." She blushed a healthy pink. "Shall we go now?" She gave him a dazzling smile. Not the ones she would use for photos, or when she was laughing. It was small and shy. And beautiful. Damn.

He found himself at a loss for words. "I, um... Yeah. Sure."

It took a while for him to remember how to function, but once he started, he dragged Juvia to his favorite restaurant, Franks.

It was actually more of a hole in the wall, nothing too fancy. Just forty two square meters of tables, chairs and mouthwatering food. The man chose a table by the window and helped Juvia sit. (She blushed at his gentlemanly actions.) He left her to go place their order at the counter. He returned a few minutes later and sat across her. They sat in silence, neither knowing what to do. A waitress came and smiled at Gray. She promptly laid a tray with their food on the table and left. Caramade Franks, Gray's favorite.

"Does Gray-sama come here often?" She inquired. (Partly because the waitress was being too friendly.)

"Yeah. I go here all the time." He said. "Do you remember the last time we ate these?"

She giggled at the memory. "Of course, Gray-sama."

The pair ended up talking, and by the end of their little outing, they were on a park bench. It was already dark out, and it was a bit chilly. Gray lent Juvia his jacket.

"So what does this mean for us, Gray-sama? Our relationship. Where are we now?" Juvia asked. She couldn't quite look at him.

Gray pondered the question.

"I guess you can say that we're kinda... Together now." He said, grasping her hand.

"So... This is our first date then?" She asked, leaning against him.

"Yeah, I guess," he said.

**/fin/**

an: wow i hated this. but me eez to lazy to make a new one because i accidentally deleted everything. :(( i swear ill do better tomorrow. yeah well. i know seriously sucked ass.

an2: can we please take a minute to appreciate Gray's tsundere-ness?


	5. Chapter 5

**Finally**

((day five: longing))

"How about this one?" The Water Mage asked the man who sat beside her. Her head was tilted to the side, and Gray couldn't help but find it so damn adorable. He smiled.

His eyes glanced over the mission details. Fairly simple, he thought, and for a reasonable price. "Sure," he said, returning the paper his girlfriend of three months had passed to him. She smiled and walked over to Mira for her to approve.

She's beautiful, he thought wistfully. He blushed as he caught himself thinking that. (The eternal tsundere, Gray Fullbuster.)

Many could see the change Juvia brought to his life. He was a happier, livelier person. Despite the cold magic that he conjures and wields, he was a warm, kind-hearted person under all the ice he piled on top of himself, and Juvia helped bring out the dormant good guy in him. Their countless hours of being together, on a date, or just hanging out, lazing around had brought a great change to the once, stoic, icy man.

Of course, the change wasn't one-sided.

Juvia, too, had changed, although it was subtle. Well not really. If you call her not screaming bloody murder at every girl and claiming them to be love rivals anymore, then yes, it was subtle. She no longer accused her guild mates (especially since Lucy and Natsu had _finally_ hooked up) of trying to steal away her Gray. She was less, um, clingy and more... sweet. She still kept the honorific though. She dressed differently too. Instead of her usual long coats and dark dresses, she sometimes wore skirts and shirts and things.

They walked to the train station side by side the next day. Gray had offered to pick Juvia up from her house, and after much resistance from her side, Juvia let Gray carry her things to the station. She didn't want to burden her Gray-sama.

They arrived and stayed at the platform, waiting for their train. Juvia, clad in a pair of short shorts and a tank top, gained the attention of many men. Consequently, Gray wrapped a protective arm around her waist, and shrugged his jacket off, wrapping it around his girlfriend's shoulders. Said girl blushed at his antics and smiled sweetly at him. They had a short conversation about the mission they were about to take as they boarded the train headed Violem. It went something like this:

Gray: "So do you think it'll be easy?"

(He was observing his surroundings, checking to see if the train they boarded was correct. After all, you can never be too sure.)

Juvia: "Juvia supposes it will be, but she can't be certain."

(She found an empty car and started placing her things (a back pack and some water) on the top shelf. Gray helped her out of course, being the gentleman that he was.)

Gray: "You're right."

(The Water Mage took a seat and Gray mimicked her actions. He sat down and laid his chin on his hand as he looked out the window.)

Juvia: "Let's just do our best then."

(She smiled sweetly, causing the man to avoid her gaze, as his face had reddened exponentially.)

Even though they've been together for a while, the ink-haired man couldn't help but react to her actions as if it were the first time. He sighed.

About an hour or so later, he fell asleep. His light snoring had gained the attention of his companion, who was busy reading. His head was leaning on the glass and a light trail of saliva had formed from his slightly open lips to his chin. She chuckled at the sight of it. Brushing a strand of hair away from her face, she prepared to take a shirt nap. However, before she could properly sleep, Gray's voice came. "Hey Juvia, you wanna lean on me?" He inquired sleepily.

"Ah... Ah. If Gray-sama doesn't mind," she said, accompanied with a shy smile.

"Nah, it's cool," he replied.

Juvia was about to stand up to move, but Gray was already on her bench. He sat next to her and cocked his head, prompting her to lean on him. She did so and immediately fell asleep. Gray leaned on her as well but only slightly. He stayed awake until they were near their destination. Gently coaxing her to wake up, Gray placed a hand on her shoulder. He carefully shook her and her eyes fluttered open.

"Gray-sama! How long has Juvia been asleep?" She opened her eyes rather groggily, as she shyly peeked up at him.

"About an hour or so," he replied. "You'd better get ready though, we're almost there."

Juvia nodded and stood up to fetch her things. That was until she realized Gray already had them. She smiled.

All these years, all she wanted, all she longed for, was for Gray to love her back. All she wanted was for him to take her feelings in and reciprocate them. It all felt like a dream, how he held her hand, how he kissed her, how he showed his affections. She smiled to herself and grasped his hand. He squeezed it back, much to her delight.

All she ever longed for, all her hopes and dreams, was unfolding before her eyes, and she couldn't have been happier.

**/fin/**

an: special thanks to _TheCurseDoll-Beelzenef_ for her help. go read her stuff, she's amazing.

an 2: yes well, i thought this didnt comply with the prompt much.


	6. Chapter 6

**did you ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?**

((day six: heat))

The night of Erza and Jellal's engagement party was well-chosen. It was in between spring and summer, that little gray spot of cool weather. It wasn't too early to go to the somewhere tropical, but it wasn't too late wear a scarf. In the couple's opinion, it was just right. The party itself though, was a completely different matter.

It was held at a beach, a bit farther away from Fiore's capital. It was quiet. Very quiet. They set up a marquee and under the stars they shared a meal. Meredy was there even though she was putting herself in a bit of danger. Jellal didn't want her to come, but Erza convinced him otherwise. After all, they were far away from the authorities, far from the rest of the world. Meredy was also the only, um, family (?) he had left (sorta). The whole of Fairy Tail was invited, of course. For safety measures, they didn't ask anybody else to attend.

"I'd like to propose a toast!" Cana exclaimed, pushing her glass if sparkling champagne high in the air. "To the happy couple. May they be together happily with their thirty or something kids, and for until the end of time." Despite her drunkenness and her comment about the kids (which made the pair go incredibly red), there was a genuine intention in her voice. Erza couldn't help but smile and grasp her fiancé's hand tighter.

"To Erza and Jellal!" came the party-goers enthusiastic response.

The festivities went on until the end of the night because everyone was forcibly put in their respective rooms on the insistence of the Mrs. Fernandes-to-be. The boys were beginning to get a bit out of hand, she reasoned. Well, out of hand was a subtle was of putting it, to be honest. They were fucking noisy. And they were making a helluva mess.

Since their current location was rather far-flung, the next best thing to a luxury hotel was a small inn. Now, given the number of people (well over twenty) and the capacity of the inn, a few of the mages had to share rooms. Naturally, the couples were put together. Natsu and Lucy (and Happy, of course) shared a room, so did Gajeel, Lily and Levy. Across the hall, Jellal and Erza stayed, and beside theirs was Ever and Elfman's. The rest of the people, like Jet and Droy, and the Connell family also slept in rooms together. However, there was a slight mix up. Juvia, although not in a relationship, had to room with Gray.

Well, they used to be together. Until... until they just drifted. It was sad, really. You could tell how much they missed each other, how much they were meant to be.

Gray knew that it would be awkward. Way, way too awkward. He was terrified, really, of what would result from a night of them being alone in a room with only one bed.

He decided to take a drag to, you know, calm his nerves. He quit smoking long ago, after Erza had beat him to a pulp after she caught him inhaling the toxic fumes of that damned cancer stick. Memories of that traumatic experience and the physical and emotional scars it left still haunted him to this very day.

He walked out to the beach, and sat himself down just before the area where the water met the sand. He let his feet get soaked after he removed his navy blue sandals. He was surprised when he noticed the color of his foot wear. He usually didn't get anything blue because it reminded him too much of Juvia. He was quiet for a while until he saw a figure emerge from the water. He let out a yelp as the thing was only a few feet away from him. The light the moon provided was not enough to illuminate the creature before him. The figure drew closer and needless to say, he was surprised.

It was Juvia.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked when he was sure she could hear him (and when he could see her). He was trying his best not to look at her, so his gaze rested on the sand before him.

"Juvia could ask you the same thing," she said, her body was covered in drops of water and was rather, um, scantily clad. Things between them became rather hostile after their split. Sure, they would talk, they would say hi to each other but, they both knew that their attempts at patching things up were half-hearted. Gray could count with his fingers the number of times they actually spoke since they were apart. It was heartbreaking, really.

She sat next to him, and he extinguished his cigarette. He knew she didn't like the scent of tobacco, made her queasy she said. It surprised him that he remembered.

"Juvia thought you quit smoking, Gray." Another thing: She had completely dropped her habit of calling him Gray-sama. It hurt him, to tell the truth.

"I'm just stressed, that's all," he reasoned. It was the truth, he was just omitting a few things. A pause came between them as Juvia conjured a towel (he honestly didn't know where it came from) and wrapped it around her shoulders. An incredibly awkward silence came between them.

"Can Juvia ask you a question?" She asked. Gray turned to look at her. She was drawing patterns on the space between them which was about a foot or so. Her eyes were trained on her tedious task, and at the back of his mind, he thought that she wasn't looking at him on purpose. It was rather arrogant of him to have a thought such as that, but he couldn't quite help himself.

"Go ahead," he said, focusing once more on anything but her.

"What happened... to us?" Her voice was laced with... Pain? Hurt? Regret? He was shocked by her straightforward query.

There was a pregnant silence between them as he paused to think. Juvia was now looking at him expectantly, an eyebrow quirked upwards.

"I... I don't know... to be honest," he replied earnestly. There was another deafening silence between them, but his voice broke it. "But, can I confess something?"

The woman said a small yes and Gray took in a deep breath.

"I miss you."

The woman's eyes widened in shock, the she looked him in the eye and said, "I miss you, too."

This time, the man spoke. "Do you think... do you think we can ever patch things up?"

"Juvia doesn't know," she replied. Her eyes were glazed over, and by pure instinct, his hand found hers. The pad of his thumb created small circles on her knuckles to soothe her. "But... she would like to try."

"Me too." He said. He gave her a smile, a real one. Not a smirk. It was soft and warm and perfect. Juvia edged closer to the man so their shoulders met. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, her towel falling to the ground. Consequently, her damp body pressed against his.

"Thank you," she whispered into the shell of his ear.

The man drew back from her embrace a placed a hand on her cheek, staring into her eyes. He leaned in and closed the distance between them, his lips on hers. Eventually, she ended up on the sand, with his on his elbows and knees above her. His forearms caged her face. They parted for air a moment later, both panting as if they had done the most excruciating task ever. Gray kissed her again. He could hear the waves, how they crashed against the shore. He could feel air around them, thick with their electricity. He could smell the salt in the air, and her lavender-scented shampoo. The world was busy around him, bustling with energy, but he found it odd how all he could see were her red lips, the unfathomable abyss that were her eyes, and her spotless skin. All he could taste was the odd vanilla flavor her lips always had.

But he knew he couldn't keep going. He knew that all too well. As much as he enjoyed the heat, the heat her body radiated, the heat that beckoned him to go further, he couldn't push it too far. He withdrew, but he placed his forehead on hers before saying, "I missed you. More than you can imagine."

"Can we start over?" She asked. Her back still rested on the sand, however, Gray was no longer hovering above her. Instead, he lied down on the ground next to her, looking up at the stars.

"I'd love to," he replied, lacing his fingers with hers. For now, that heat would suffice.

**/fin/**

an: yes well, idk how to write lemons or limes so this is the best i can do. :( and i dunno really where i got this from? i just saw the title, i think it's a line from a movie? and i kinda worked my way around that. I COULD NOT RESIST PUTTING IN SOME JERZA.


	7. Chapter 7

**promise me**

((day seven: forever))

She missed him so much.

She missed his lopsided grin, his passionate eyes, his unruly hair. She missed the way he kiss her in the morning just after waking up, and how he kissed her at night before sleeping. She missed how he would help her set the table and hug her from behind. She missed his tender touch, she missed his love.

On some nights, she would hug her Gray-sama plushie and just think about him. She would have laughed if you had told her that Gray Fullbuster would kiss her on her birthday because, let's face it, Gray's a damned tsundere. But a year later, he did, and since then, they started dating.

There was this one time that would always be engraved in her memory. Juvia was at his apartment, on his couch sitting against him. Then Gray just blurted out that he wanted to be with her forever. He looked so cute when he realized what he said and he blushed like a school girl. In the end, his words got him laid, and after their passionate night, Gray promised her that he would always love her.

One day, Gray took a mission with Natsu and the others on the master's orders. It was supposed to take a few months, however it took well over a year. The moment Natsu, Erza, Laxus and Gajeel came through the guild's doors, the guild broke in to a wild frenzy. A string of "we missed you!"'s, "we were so worried!"'s, and "are you hurt?"'s erupted, each statement they would reply with a smile. But one question threw the group out of balance.

"Where's Gray?" The question erupted from the blue-hared water mage's lips. Titania noticed that they were quivering.

Erza turned to look at Juvia, and tears were in both mage's eyes.

"He... he... Um, well... We..." She paused; taking in a deep, shuddering breath. She closed her brown eyes and began to cry. "We lost him."

It was painful to see the look on Juvia's face when they broke the terrible news. The guild fell silent. Juvia stumbled onto a seat, she felt as if the world was closing in around her. The next thing she knew, Erza was hugging her, saying how sorry she was. The hot tears flowed freely down both their faces, and the rest of the team that went on the mission gave Juvia sympathetic looks. They muttered how sorry they were, how they hated themselves for it. A pregnant silence came between them.

"Where's... wh-where's his body?" Juvia asked eventually.

There was a pause, as if they were choosing how to phrase the next few words. Then, Natsu said, "We couldn't... we couldn't find it. I'm sorry, Juvia." The Dragon Slayer had placed his hand on hers in an attempt to soothe her. Her hands were clenched, balled tightly, so much so that her knuckles were paper-white.

"O-okay," she said weakly, trying to stand. Her mind was blank, although she knew that it wouldn't be for long. She knew that the moment their words sank in, she would be a blubbering mess.

In an attempt to stop her from leaving, Gajeel placed a hand on her shoulder. "Juvia, wait."

"Juvia needs to be alone," she said. She sounded so broken. She shrugged the Dragon Slayer's hand off and began to walk to the doors. This time, nobody stopped her.

The guild was filled with a melancholic air, and then a thunder clapped in the distance. A second later, the whole city was caught in a storm. The sun wouldn't show any time soon, that much was certain.

.

.

.

The day after, Lyon came by, looking for Juvia. Plastered onto his face was the most annoying grin.

"Juvia-chan~!" The silver-haired ice mage cooed. He was shocked when he didn't hear a "get the fuck outta here" from Gray. Almost immediately, his smile fell as a sinking feeling settled itself in his heart. His eyes searched the guild hall, and he was surprised to see that everybody was looking at him funny.

"What's wrong?" He asked. The members exchanged knowing glances before Cana called out to him. He walked over to her. The man sat opposite the (surprisingly) sober card mage and he repeated his question.

"Listen, Lyon," she began, she seemed so out of it. Her usual barrel hadn't even been touched yet, and it was close to midday. "There's no easy way of putting this, but... Gray... He's gone."

At first, the ice mage was taken aback. Gray was gone? His closest thing to family was... gone? Just like that? Then he realized something. Juvia. She would be devastated.

"W-why? And how?" He prodded further.

"I don't know the details, but a week from now, we'll hold his f-funeral. You're welcome to go."

"I see," he said, hair covering his eyes. "What about Juvia?"

The brunette before him simply smirked before looking out the window. "Nice weather we're havin', eh?" She asked almost sarcastically.

Lyon's eyes widened in realization and he promptly left the building. How hadn't he noticed the gloom in the rain? How had he been so ignorant? Of course it was Juvia's doing.

He felt glad that he hadn't brought an umbrella he thought as he walked to the hotel he was staying at. At least they wouldn't know if it were his tears or just the rain streaming down his face.

.

.

.

A week later, as promised, his funeral was held. Since there was no body to bury, they erected a stone on the ground where his coffin would've been. Engraved onto the stone was his name, his date of birth, and date of... his date of death. Lucy was kind enough to think of a few nice things to put on his headstone.

The ceremony went on as planned and by the end of the night, Juvia found herself in her dorm room. She was still in her black dress and her high heels. Now that... now that they had held a funeral for him, it felt as if he really was gone. With no hope of coming back. Juvia cradled her body and she let the skies shed the tears she couldn't.

.

.

.

Since the funeral, Juvia had yet to grace the guild with her presence. The rain wasn't weakening, if anything, it was getting worse. The guild was still gloomy; they had lost Gray.

Aside from Juvia and Lyon, the people who were stuck the most by his... his passing were his team. Laxus was sulking, Gajeel was staring into space, Natsu was quiet and Erza... Erza, she was a mess. She hadn't even touched her cake.

.

.

.

An entire month flew by and Juvia found herself at his grave. It was her first time to go out since his funeral.

She sat on the grass, and just stared at the stone. She hadn't brought an umbrella and was, by now, soaked. Her delicate fingers ghosted the engraving, and a single year rolled down her cheek. Carefully, she started speaking. It was awkward at first, having no replies. However, she grew accustomed to the silence that greeted her after her statements. She told him about her hurt, how she was so mad at him. She said that she hated him from breaking his promise.

"I'm sorry," he said. The woman shook her head in disbelief. She knew that voice. She knew it all too well.

"Gray-sama!" She exclaimed as she twisted her body to the source of the sound. And there he was, panting as if he'd run all the way here. His shirt was gone, and his hair was matted down because of the rain.

Without words, the man went to Juvia and wrapped his strong arms around her shuddering frame. The woman was crying by now, the rain water mixing with her tears.

"J-Juvia... S-she thought you were... were d-dead," she murmured, burying her face into his neck. "Juvia thought you broke your promise."

The man smirked, leaning into her, "Do you really think I'd do that to you?"

Before she could answer, Gray placed his lips firmly on hers, capturing them.

The rain stopped as he broke away and whispered to her, "I promised my forever, didn't I?"

an: yes well i couldnt kill gray. it was either this or a lyvia and onesided gruvia._** I GUESS GRUVIA WEEK IS OVER, TILL NEXT YEAR!**_


End file.
